Washington delegation urges federal funding for Lynnwood Link Extension
Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
Sound Transit plans major work on light rail bridge over I-5 this weekend.
Sound Transit
Federal funding for Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension was the subject of a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Elaine Chao from several of Washington state’s congressional representatives.
The officials representing the western part of the state wrote to Secretary Chao voicing their support of Sound Transit’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program, also known as, New Starts, application.
The New Starts program is funded in FY18 at $1.5 billion. In December 2017, Sound Transit submitted a Full Funding Grant Agreement application for the Lynwood Link Extension.
The 8.5-mile light-rail project would connect King and Snohomish Counties, helping address concerns over increasingly bad traffic congestion and continued regional growth with an estimated one million new residents expected in Puget Sound by 2040.
In their letter, the members pointed to Secretary Chao’s previous commitments to make progress, writing: “For over a year at numerous committee hearings you have said [USDOT] would follow the law, adhere to the will of Congress, and execute CIG grant agreements that have received federal funding. Congress has provided clear direction on the CIG program in the last two fiscal years…”
The members continued, noting that the region is doing its part and picking up the vast majority of the costs for the Lynnwood Link Extension through local investments: “As a result, the federal share of the Lynnwood Link Extension is just 36 percent. We would argue this is exactly the type of local commitment the Administration is seeking.”
The letter is signed by Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), as well as seven of the states 10 representatives including Reps. Rick Larsen (D-WA-2), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7), Suzan DelBene (D-WA-1), Adam Smith (D-WA-9), Dave Reichert (R-WA-8), Denny Heck (D-WA-10) and Derek Kilmer (D-WA-6).
